Chloridia: Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs · chunk 2 of 3
Jonson, Ben · published 1641 · first performed or written 1631 [Feb 22] (Annals) masque · before the Court unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 412 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
Hold my stirrup, my one Lacqucy; and look to my Curtal, the other: walk him well, Sirrah, while I expatiate myself here in the report of my office! o the Furies! how I am joyed with the title of it! Postilion of Hell! yet no Mercury. But a mere Cacodaemon, sent hither with a packet of news! news! never was Hell so furnished of the commodity of news! Love hath been lately there, and so entertained by Pluto, and Proserpina, and all the Grandees of the place, as, it is there perpetual Holiday: and a cessation of torment granted, and proclaimed for ever! Half-famished Tantalus is fallen to his fruit, with that appetite, as it threatens to undo the whole company of Costermongers, and has a River afore him, running excellent Wine; Ixion is loosed from his wheel, and turned Dancer, does nothing but cut capreols, fetch friskals, and leads Lavaltoes, with the Lamiaes! Sisyphus has left rolling the stone, and is grown a Mr. bowler; challenges all the prime gamesters, Parsons in hell, and gives them odds: upon Tityus his breast, that (for six of the nine acres) is counted the subtlest bowling-ground in all Tartary. All the Furies are at a game called nine-pins, or keilles, made of old Usurer's bones, and their souls looking on with delight, and betting on the game. Never was there such freedom of sport. Danaus' Daughters have broke their bottomless tubs, and made bonfires of them. All is turned triumph there. Had Hell gates been kept with half that strictness, as the entry here has been to night, Pluto would have had but a cold Court, and Proserpina a thin presence, though both have a vast territory. We had such a stir to get in, I, and my Curtal, and my two Lackeys all ventured through the eye of a Spanish needle, we had never come in else, and that was by the favour of one of the guard who was a womans-taylor, and held open the passage. Cupid by commission hath carried Jealousy from Hell, Disdain, Fear, and Dissimulation, with other Goblins, to trouble the Gods. And I am sent after post, to raise Tempest, Windes, Lightnings, Thunder, Rain, and Snow, for some new exploit they have against the Earth, and the Goddess Chloris, Queen of the flowers, and Mistress of the Spring. For joy of which I will return to myself, mount my Bidet, in a dance; and corvet upon my Curtal.
seed 43: T23 · seed 44: T23 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hold my ſtirrop, my one Lacqucy; and looke to my Curtall, the other: walke him well, Sirrah, while I expatiate my ſelfe here in the report of my office! oh the Furies! how I am joyed with the title of it! Poſtilion of Hell! yet no Mercury. But a meere Cacodaemon, ſent hither with a packet of newes! newes! never was Hell ſo furniſhed of the commoditie of newes! Love hath beene lately there, and ſo entertained by Pluto, and Proſerpine, and all the Grandees of the place, as, it is there perpetuall Holy-day: and a ceſſation of torment granted, and proclaimed for ever! Halfe-famiſh'd Tantalus is fallen to his fruit, with that appetite, as it threaten's to undoe the whole company of Coſtard-mungers, and ha's a River afore him, running excellent Wine; Ixion is loos'd from his wheele, and turn'd Dancer, does nothing but cut capreols, fetch friskals, and leades Lavaltoes, with the Lamiae! Siſyphus ha's left rowling the ſtone, and is growne a Mr. bowler; challenges all the prime gameſters, Parſons in hell, and gives them odds: upon Tityus his breſt, that (for ſixe of the nine acres) is counted the ſubtleſt bowling-ground in all Tartary. All the Furies are at a game call'd nine-pins, or keilles, made of old Uſurers bones, and their ſoules looking on with delight, and betting on the game. Never was there ſuch freedome of ſport. Danaus Daughters have broke their bottomleſſe tubs, and made bonfires of them. All is turn'd triumph there. Had Hell gates beene kept with halfe that ſtrictneſſe, as the entry here ha's beene to night, Pluto would have had but a cold Court, and Proſerpine a thin preſence, though both have a vaſt territorie. Wee had ſuch a ſtirre to get in, I, and my Curtall, and my two Lacqueys all ventur'd through the eye of a Spaniſh needle, wee had never come in elſe, and that was by the favour of one of the guard who was a womans-taylor, and held ope the paſſage. Cupid by commiſsion hath carried Jealouſie from Hell, Diſdaine, Feare, and Diſsimulation, with other Goblins, to trouble the Gods. And I am ſent after poſt, to raiſe Tempeſt, Windes, Lightnings, Thunder, Rayne, and Snow, for ſome new exploit they have againſt the Earth, and the Goddeſſe Chloris, Queene of the flowers, and Miſtris of the Spring. For joy of which I will returne to my ſelfe, mount my Bidet, in a dance; and corvet upon my Curtall.